Cosmetic Box and Usage Method of Putting Plastic Pin to Pivotally Couple Cover and Base Thereof

ABSTRACT

A cosmetic box includes a cover including a block on an underside, the block having an axial channel; a base including a groove on one side, the groove being complimentarily shaped to the block, and two opposite through apertures, each extending from an outer surface of the base to either end of the groove; and at least one plastic pin including two convex portions at two ends respectively, and two transitional members, each around the convex portion. The block is disposed in the groove. The at least one plastic pin is inserted through one through aperture, the axial channel, and the other through aperture to pivotally couple the cover and the base together.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to cosmetic boxes and more particularly to aplastic pin for a cosmetic box and its application, the plastic pinbeing made of plastic and having the characteristics of beingenvironmentally friendly, capable of hingedly fastening two objectstogether without being damaged or broken, and improving the quality ofproduced plastic pins.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional cosmetic box 70 is shown in FIG. 5 and comprises a cover(not numbered) and a base (not numbered) including a metal hinge 60 forhingedly fastening the cover and the base together. Lubricating oil 62is coated on the hinge 60 for preventing the hinge 60 from being rustedby the air. However, the lubricating oil 62 may involve a chemicalreaction with the air to form a rust layer 64 on the hinge 60. The rustlayer 64 can hinder the pivotal operation of the hinge 60 when closingor opening the cosmetic box 70. The hinge 60 may be malfunctioned to jamthe opening or closing of the cosmetic box 70 after a period of time ofuse. To the worse, the cosmetic box 70 may be damaged or broken.

Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cosmetic boxcomprising a cover including a block on an underside, the block havingan axial channel; a base including a groove on one side, the groovebeing complimentarily shaped to the block, and two opposite throughapertures, each extending from an outer surface of the base to eitherend of the groove; and at least one plastic pin including two convexportions at two ends respectively, and two transitional members, eacharound the convex portion; wherein the block is disposed in the groove,and the at least one plastic pin is inserted through one throughaperture, the axial channel, and the other through aperture to pivotallycouple the cover and the base together.

Preferably, the plastic pin is made of plastic.

Preferably, the cover includes a central cover element which istransparent or opaque.

Preferably, further comprises a frame member on the base, the framemember includes a central opening as storage.

Preferably, a plurality of first bossed holes are provided on a top ofthe base respectively, and a plurality of hole members are provided on abottom of the frame member respectively, and the first bossed holes areinserted into the hole members.

Preferably, the cover includes a catch on an underside, the baseincludes a second bossed hole, the frame member includes a through holeon one side, the second bossed hole is inserted through the through holeto fasten the base and the frame member together, and the catch isinserted into the second bossed hole to fasten the cover, the framemember and the base together.

It is another object of the invention to provide a usage method ofputting a plastic pin to pivotally couple a cover and a base of acosmetic box, wherein the plastic pin is a solid cylinder having twoconvex portions at two ends respectively, and two transitional memberseach around the convex portion, the usage method comprising thefollowing step: the plastic pin being inserted through a throughaperture of the cover, a channel of the base so as to pivotally couplethe cover and the base of the cosmetic box together.

The invention has the following advantages and benefits in comparisonwith the conventional art:

The plastic pin is made of plastic and it can be recycled. Further, itcan reduce the consumption of non-recyclable material and save cost.Furthermore, it is environmentally friendly.

The plastic pin is flexible and has two rounded or chamfered ends. Thus,the plastic pin can decrease friction when it is inserted through onethrough aperture, the channel, and the other through aperture. The coverand the base pivotably secured together by the pin are prevented frombeing damaged or broken, thereby improving the quality of producedplastic pins.

Finally, the plastic pin is prevented from being rusted. Thus, it isdurable.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description taken withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic pin according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a cosmetic box incorporating the plasticpin according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled cosmetic box;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken away view of the cosmetic box; and

FIG. 5 is a cosmetic box having a conventional hinge, the cosmetic boxbeing open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a cosmetic box in accordance with theinvention comprises a hexagonal cover frame 10 including a catch 18 onan underside, an elongated block 12 on the underside, the block 12 beingopposite to the catch 18 and having an axial channel 14, and a hexagonalcover element 16; a hexagonal base 20 including an elongated groove 22on one side, the groove 22 being complimentarily shaped to the block 12,two through apertures 221 each extending from a corner of the base 20 toeither end of the groove 22, six first bossed holes 24 on six corners ona top respectively, and a second bossed hole 26 between two adjacentfirst bossed holes 24 on one side, the second bossed hole 26 beingopposite to the groove 22; a hexagonal frame member 40 including acentral opening 42, six hole members 44 on six corners of a bottomrespectively, and a through hole 46 between two adjacent hole members 44on one side; and a plastic pin 30 including two convex portions 32 attwo ends respectively, and two transitional members 34 each around theconvex portion 32, wherein the plastic pin 30 is a solid cylinder.

The cover element 16 is fitted on a hollow portion of the cover frame10. The first bossed holes 24 are inserted into the hole members 44 andthe second bossed hole 26 is inserted through the through hole 46 tofasten the base 20 and the frame member 40 together. Thus, cosmeticcontent can be stored in the opening 42. The block 12 is disposed in thegroove 22. The catch 18 is inserted into the second bossed hole 16. Theplastic pin 30 is inserted through one through aperture 221, the channel14, and the other through aperture 221. This completes the assembly ofthe invention.

Preferably, the plastic pin 30 is made of plastic.

Preferably, the corners of the cover frame 10 are rounded or chamfered.

Preferably, the corners of the base 20 are rounded or chamfered.

Preferably, the cover element 16 is transparent or opaque.

Preferably, a hinge is comprised of the plastic pin 30, the groove 22,the block 12 having the channel 14, and the through apertures 221 forpivotably fastening the cover frame 10 and the base 20 together.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferredembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventioncan be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cosmetic box comprising: a cover including ablock on an underside, the block having an axial channel; a baseincluding a groove on one side, the groove being complimentarily shapedto the block, and two opposite through apertures, each extending from anouter surface of the base to either end of the groove; and at least oneplastic pin including two convex portions at two ends respectively, andtwo transitional members, each around the convex portion; wherein theblock is disposed in the groove, and the at least one plastic pin isinserted through one through aperture, the axial channel, and the otherthrough aperture to pivotally couple the cover and the base together. 2.The cosmetic box of claim 1, wherein the plastic pin is made of plastic.3. The cosmetic box of claim 1, wherein corners of the cover are roundedor chamfered, and corners of the base are rounded or chamfered.
 4. Ausage method of putting a plastic pin to pivotally couple a cover and abase of a cosmetic box, wherein the plastic pin is a solid cylinderhaving two convex portions at two ends respectively, and twotransitional members each around the convex portion, the usage methodcomprising the following step: the plastic pin being inserted through athrough aperture of the cover and a channel of the base so as topivotally couple the cover and the base of the cosmetic box together.